Water researchers in developing countries have yet to take full advantage of the funding and
collaborative research opportunities presented by the EU Framework Programme. There are a variety
of reasons for this, such as insufficient information and a lack of previous experience. The African Water
initiative aims to increase the involvement of African water researchers through a range of activities
including communication and dissemination, capacity building and development, and complementary
initiatives. The project has demonstrated that there is a demand for such sector-specific support
activities. However, African Water is a small component of a much larger process of partnership
between the developed and the less-developed countries of the world, involving many different European
and African organisations working across political, institutional and technical domains, and
complementing the wide range of actions already being undertaken.

Description:

This conference paper was presented at the 33rd WEDC International Conference, Accra, Ghana, 2008: Access to Sanitation and safe water: global partnerships and local actions.